EDITORIAL: Open minds, willingness will help to resolve police dispute

There’s a new twist in the long-running Bessemer City/Gaston County police saga, but there’s no need for it to have officials from either side tied in knots.

At issue is how long Gaston County Police serviced Bessemer City after the city decided to end its contract with the county – and how much the city owes the county for police protection.

On the Bessemer City side of the dispute, officials say the county did not fulfill its contract and that the city does not owe $214,000. Councilman Howard Jones said he thinks the city not only does not owe the county, the county owes the city a refund.

On the Gaston County side of the dispute, Police Chief James Buie says county officers did their job “to the very end” and that Bessemer City was not shortchanged.

The contract for county police to service Bessemer City ended when the city’s own police department began rolling July 1.

The switch came after county officials announced an increase in Bessemer City’s annual police protection charge. The cost, those officials said, would take a mighty jump from $435,000 to $1.1 million.

Hold on, said the folks in Bessemer City. Instead of paying the county for police protection, they decided to form their own department.

As renovations began, county officers moved out of their quarters in Bessemer City, but according to Chief Buie, they never reduced the time spent serving residents. With no station, the officers might not have been as visible, he said, but they were working as much as ever.

Over in Bessemer City, Councilman Joe Will claims that county officers “left us and came when they had to.”

Assistant County Manager Phillip Ponder, who is heading up county operations while the search is on for a new top-level administrator to run Gaston, says he wants to meet with Bessemer City Manager James Inman to discuss the police matter.

Good idea.

By getting together with open minds and willing attitudes, the two stand the best chance of working out an arrangement that is fair to both sides.

There is a great need for these managers to look at the circumstances professionally and without emotion and propose a solution.

Politicians can bring too much emotion to discussion of a sensitive matter, most often brought on by comments from voters who might not have all the facts.

Others can be too defensive, unable to see shortcomings out of pride and protection.

Sitting down and having an honest, straightforward conversation is exactly what is needed to resolve this difference.